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Re: Print dryers

Originally Posted by Gary L. Quay

I've never used my print dryer, but I want to next week. Does it matter which side is up? I don't necessarily want glossy finishes.

Thanks!
--Gary

Normally, for mat prints you would dry your prints face up against the fabric cover sheet, but with the cover sheet not clamped down very tight, or clamped at all really.
If the canvas cover is too tight it will impress its texture into the surface of the print, if the paper is glossy surface. You only dry face down if you want glossy, and this is hard to achieve anyway, unless you have a perfect surface to your dryer, and you squeegy your prints down, and do other mystic things.

Re: Print dryers

Hello, i know this thread has been dead for a long time but...
I just bought a Photax print Dryer, made in Uk, and I want to take off the apron to wash it but cannot in the life of me find a way of doing it...
Can anybody help?

Re: Print dryers

Originally Posted by almostpilot

Hello, i know this thread has been dead for a long time but...
I just bought a Photax print Dryer, made in Uk, and I want to take off the apron to wash it but cannot in the life of me find a way of doing it...
Can anybody help?

It would help us to help you by adding photos of your particular drum print dryer. I take it it's the heated drum type made for drying (mostly if not only)fiber base paper?
If you could add photos showing the apron and any possible screws or bolts that could lead to access for removing apron.

Re: Print dryers

Originally Posted by Louis Pacilla

It would help us to help you by adding photos of your particular drum print dryer. I take it it's the heated drum type made for drying (mostly if not only)fiber base paper?
If you could add photos showing the apron and any possible screws or bolts that could lead to access for removing apron.

I am not at the location of my darkroom but i try to find some pics online
thank you!
It is a Photax, prob 60s model or 70s

Re: Print dryers

Re: Print dryers

As I recall the unit has a couple of long bolts w/ nut's on one side of the end cap that must be removed and then the two end caps one w/ the the controls which has wires connected to it will stay semi together and the other end cap can be completely removed then the apron slides out of a slot in the main body and of course you will slide the hooped side of the apron off the metal U shaped closing rod used to add tension and stretch the apron closed. (The apron will have one end w/ a hoop to go through the closing rod and the other will either have some sort of either doubled over canvas materiel and sown or a small metal rod of some sort either of which are there to attach the apron to the main dryer body)
The main body just has a series of heating elements running through the inner body and they are safe from harm. Once removed you can wash the aprons & then put back on damp then once together you can snap both sides closed and let the dryer dry finish drying and press flat the washed apron. Make sure you rinse the apron very well to get any contaminants out before drying any impotent work. A good way to remove most dampness from apron before returning to dryer is to lay a big dry terry cloth towel out and after getting as much dripping wet moisture from the apron lay flat the apron on top of the towel then roll the towel up like a log then w/ feet step on towel/apron to pick up most of the moisture. You can get wet apron pretty dry this way so the apron is just a little damp when you put the dryer back together for drying/pressing of the now clean apron.

I hope my explanation helps as it's been awhile since I last had a smaller unit like this apart for apron cleaning. However as I remember it's fairly easy & self evident as to what you need to do. This type of dryer is pretty simple and hard to really mess it up. it's truly easy and the job is so not rocket science.

Re: Print dryers

Thank you. mine is older than the one in the image but i get the idea I think, you basically have to take the thing apart to remove the apron, it is not a matter of just sliding it off the metal rods. i will try!
Funny thing is it came with original instruction leaflet (must be from the 50s) and it says you should wash the apron regularly but does not mention how to take it off at all.